The Seymour High School football team was one of 16 teams to be named a National Football Foundation state finalist.

Bob Gaddis, the IFCA president and former coach of Seymour’s Tyson Moore, informed Moore of it last week.

“NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards are a tremendous way for outstanding football programs around the USA to recognize the accomplishments of the student-athletes in the classroom,” Gaddis said in a news release. “The state of Indiana is excited to participate in recognizing our national finalist and state champions. We applaud their work and appreciate the NFF making this an annual award. We honor our team’s coaches at our state convention.”

The National Football Foundation Team Academic Award is a national award in which each state has 16 finalists, of which six are considered academic state champions. This award recognizes academic excellence of the entire team.

Eligibility requirements for the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards include a minimum cumulative team grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, superior academic application and performance and a successful football season.

Seymour’s cumulative GPA this past season among the 70 players on the active roster was 3.3 with the highest GPA being 4.46. The Owls were 6-4 and won a share of the Hoosier Hills Conference for the first time since 2001.

The other 15 teams in Indiana that were finalists were Evansville Mater Dei, Columbia City, Culver Academies, Danville, Fairfield, Heritage Christian, Indianapolis Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory, Indianapolis Cathedral, Indianapolis Lutheran, Martinsville, Oak Hill, West Lafayette, Western, William Henry Harrison and Whiteland.

Indy Lutheran was the 1A state champion, Evansville Mater Dei won 2A, West Lafayette won 3A, Columbia City won 4A, Whiteland won 5A and Cathedral won 6A.

“Although we didn’t win, to be included in the top 16 is an incredible feat for these guys,” Moore said.